FASHION Magazine

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He’s no lady. Boy wonder Andrej Pejic brings his dry wit and supermodel moves to the top Canadian designs for spring.

Watch our video with Andrej Pejic »
Read our interview »

By Lesa Hannah and Sarah Daniel

One doesn’t own a brush, the other relishes the pain inflicted by bristles. Lesa Hannah and and Sarah Daniel on why they hate/love blowouts.

Read what our editors say » LESA | SARAH

Unlike our friends out East, we probably won’t be seeing a stand-alone Topshop for a while, but Calgary is one of two Western cities to see this hot UK brand infiltrate the Bay (200 8th Avenue SW, Calgary, 403-262-0345, thebay.com). In this exclusive and affordable capsule collection, you’ll find fall’s polka-dot trend on trousers and culottes alongside bold printed skirts and colourful fur coats. Judging by its past collab collections (we can’t forget the Kate Moss alliance), something tells me we’re in for a real ready-to-wear treat.

Ah Paris, its finally time that we bid you adieu. As we part ways (seas), we look back at the last day of shows, when we caught some of our biggest stars. Look out for another model extravaganza featuring Kate Moss and Natalia Vodianova, as well as celebs like Nicole Ritchie and Joel Madden. We also spotted one piece from Prada’s spring collection, which begs the question: when can we order?

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The Hoxton was abuzz with Brit power for the Topshop launch party and concert on Tuesday night, from main man Sir Philip Green and fashion director Kate Phelan, to Jamie Hince, one part of rock duo The Kills (more or less importantly, he’s also one part of Mr. and Mrs. Kate Moss, but you already knew that, didn’t you). Incidentally, the space was also abuzz with It girl power, from Harley Viera-Newton on the turntables, to Coco Rocha in the VIP section. While some complained of the noise, we were amongst the large group of fans including designer Samantha Beckerman, Pink Tartan gal Sarah Marantz, writer Sarah Nicole Prickett, and photographer Adam Levett, that were more than tickled to be enjoying such an intimate setting for rocking out to Hince and Alison Mosshart’s moody hits.

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With the rumour mill still churning about Marc Jacobs’ impending new home (or house, actually) at Christian Dior, the Louis Vuitton show was one of the hottest tickets in town. Starting promptly at 10 a.m., glam front-row guests like Olivia Wilde, Natalia Vodianova, and Delphine Arnault (daughter of LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault) quickly took their seats as a giant round curtain went up to reveal the most magical sight: a whitewashed carousel packed with the show’s models atop moving horses. One by one they stepped off the carousel and walked the circular runway in gorgeous confections that looked like they came straight from Ladurée: organza-wrapped dresses, pastel-coloured laser-cut lace skirts, powdered crocodile bags, flower appliqués, diamond wishbone necklaces, mirrored woven metallic bags, and Mary Jane mules. As for that famous name who closed the show? Wearing a sequined and feathered minidress and tiara, Princess Kate (as in Moss) was the final fairy to grace this fashion fairytale.

Ice cream, pink lemonade, and nearly 2,000 balloon animals aren’t typical ways to start a Sunday morning—but then we only get to start our day off with a Mulberry fashion show but twice a year. This show is always a big ticket of LFW, for its prime guest list (um, today’s show included Kristen Stewart AND Kate Moss, who wore a Canadian tuxedo and a brown hat!), super-luxe venue (the upscale Claridges Hotel in the tony Mayfair neighbourhood), dogs on the runway (this season: miniature schnauzers), and, obviously, the fact that the brand is one of the fastest-growing luxury brands out there. Another way to start the day: sequins, and yet another sorbet palette of yellow, green, and pink.

Word: Weddingitis

Meaning: According to the inestimable Urban Dictionary, it’s an “ailment from attending too many weddings or the byproduct of having too many friends become engaged when you are still single. Side effects include outbursts of “AWWWWWW!!” and deep sighs. Lately, this -itis has become a far greater threat: studies show you can catch it even from people you don’t know, and a rash of celebrity weddings, spreading virally, has everyone in danger.

Twenty-five years in fashion makes you a veteran, but RozeMerie Cuevas and her label, Jacqueline Conoir, are far from retirement. Case in point: Cuevas recently upsized her Jacqueline Conoir Boutique & Studio (164 W. Fifth Ave., Vancouver, 604-688-5222, jacquelineconoir.com) to an 8,000-square-foot space and launched a younger, edgier line, called JAC.

What type of girl did you have in mind when you were designing JAC?
“A cross between Kate Moss and Chloë Sevigny. She’s urban. She’s modern. She’s subtle. She has her finger on the pulse of things.”

We’ve all spent time playing dress-up in our mothers’ best dresses and heels, but photos of 10-year-old model Thylane Loubry Blondeau dressed and made-up like a lady in Vogue Paris have got critics in an uproar.

Though the editorial was published months ago, it has only been getting negative attention on our side of the pond recently. Good Morning America aired a segment about the sexualization of young girls, using Loubry Blondeau as a prime example. Since then, the corresponding headlines have been dubbing the photos sexually inappropriate and shocking while blaming everyone, from the magazine to the fashion industry as a whole to Loubry Blondeau’s parents.

While famous models like Kate Moss and Gisele Bündchen started their careers by the time they were only 14, they were always portrayed as adults. Even 13-year-old Elle Fanning’s Marc Jacobs campaign and 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld’s Miu Miu campaign portray them as older and less sexual. What doesn’t sit well with critics is that Loubry Blondeau looks overly suggestive and—above all—undoubtedly like a child.

Is this media backlash refreshingly appropriate, or are critics just looking for a way to brutalize artistic liberties that they don’t understand? Everyone seems to be holding different opinions, but as the French would say, “C’est la vie!”

Anja Rubik has joined the ranks of Natasha Poly, Lily Aldridge and Kate Moss as the newest wedded supermodel. The face of Fendi married her fiancé and fellow model Sasha Knezevic this past Saturday (and to think we were busy watching TV!) at a church in Deià on the Spanish island of Mallorca. The couple was blessed with a picture-perfect day—in addition to their genetic superiority—which helped make the day look like a high-end campaign rather than a real-life wedding.

The only potential crimp in the picture? Rubik’s custom-made Peter Dundas dress, which struck some as mullet-esque. In somewhat of a shocking reveal, the hemline was (super) short in the front and drew out into a long, layered train. We’re guessing her thought process went something like, “Just look at these legs.” Belted at the waist and fuller in the bottom, the white silk was a perfect contrast to Rubik’s dark tan. The model’s upper back was covered with lace, which came together with a bow at her neck.

But back to that mullet. For some, wedding gowns are best as classic, simple pieces. But to be fair, Rubik was staying true to her own taste with a touch of bohemian and rock ‘n’ roll. The dress had both Rubik and Dundas written all over it, whether the critics liked it or not.

View our favourite moments from the Fall 2011 Paris collections now »